‘Storage solutions’, hey? It’s a phrase that the youthful and innocent are totally unaware of, its ubiquity in later life a vague concept at best.
But if there are three things guaranteed in life, it’s death, taxes, and the necessity for more storage, particularly as properties get increasingly more expensive in the UK, and smaller homes become the norm.
According to recent studies, the median floor space of a flat in England or Wales is just below 43 sqm, which is barely the size of four car parking spaces. For those with even a reasonable amount of ‘stuff’, things are going to get cramped, fast, in such confines.
The solution? Well, aside from a complete reappraisal of the housing market, the answer might well be found, tucked away neatly and cleanly, in the clever use of storage.
Let’s unpack further; here are 6 of the best storage solutions for small houses.
Fitted Wardrobes
The primary problem with freestanding wardrobes that you get from the store is that they’re simply not economical with space, whichever way you look at them. There’s all too often unused, unusable space around the wardrobe’s peripheries, and in bedrooms not blessed with lots of capacity, this can feel pretty wasteful. Fitted wardrobes, on the other hand, are an oh-so-simple way to boost your storage space, as they make use of every available centimetre.
Use The Walls
When it comes to saving and managing space, the golden rule is to always go vertical. One way you can do this, and increase storage space in your home in the process, is to use the walls.
You can make the most out of walls by installing shelves or building cupboard space where you can stack your stuff such as books, magazines, trinkets, and even plant pots.
Walls undoubtedly offer householders plenty of inspiration for various artistic flourishes and splashes of coulour. But did you know that walls are also excellent places for floating shelves?
You can have some floating shelves installed in virtually any room of your home, and they’re great for storing things from books and photographs in frames to small trinkets and pretty much anything within the weight limit of the shelves!
Read: 5 open shelving ideas for your home
Install Adhesive Hooks & Shelving Inside Doors & Cabinets
From open shelving to the very much hidden, installing shelving inside doors and kitchen cabinets is a wonderful way to keep things neat, tidy, and compact. You could, for instance, reorganise your spice rack so your turmeric, five spice, and garam masala jars now sit on shelving inside a kitchen cabinet. Or, why not introduce a shoe shelf to the interior of a wardrobe, thus freeing up much needed floorspace where a rack once sat?
Hooks can be used similarly, hanging coats, jackets, shirts and the rest out of sight. The most common type of hook, which is also the most stable, is the screw-in hook. If you don’t want to puncture holes in your walls, you can use adhesive hooks instead. Adhesive hooks are also commonly used on smooth surfaces like the walls in the kitchen or the bathroom.
Make Use Of The Space Under Your Stairs (If You Have Them)
One creative storage idea common among UK households is creating storage areas under the stairs. Regardless of the area’s size, you can always find a way to make the most out of this otherwise unused area of the home.
You can add clips and hooks where you can hide your cleaning tools. You can also put your shoe racks here if you want to hide them from plain sight.
If you have the means, you can also add a door to ensure that your cleaning materials are kept away when they are not in use. Consider also adding trolleys or shelves to maximise the storage space in the area.
If you’re a keen DIYer, it’s a project you could undertake yourself; alternatively, you could hire a carpenter to create a suitable under-stairs storage solution for your needs.
Underbed Storage
Another way you can discreetly store random items in your bedroom is underneath your bed. Such a place allows you to store anything from birthday and Christmas gifts to valuables like jewellery that you’d rather not have out on display in your bedroom, helping you transform your bedroom into a more tranquil space.
Some divan beds, for instance, offer pull-out storage. For other types of beds, you could simply use plastic storage boxes to keep your items out of the way and protected from dust and dirt. Under-bed storage is also extremely useful for people with small bedrooms.
If your bed doesn’t have this feature, the solution is simple: raise your bed. Raising your bed will add significant extra storage underneath. You can take this method to the next level by adding pull-out drawers or bookcases under your bed.
Aside from the increased storage space, this trick will also allow you to hide items you don’t want to display inside your room. If your bed has a headboard, you can try to squeeze in some extra storage above or behind it.
Recessed Wall Hidden Storage
One final idea to modernise your home with extra storage is to have some hidden storage created for you on one or more walls in your home.
You could, for example, have a ‘false’ wall that has a door opening up a hidden cabinet or room and can provide the ultimate in home storage solutions for you and your family.
Such an idea is suitable for a safe, but it can also be useful for non-valuable items you want to keep out of sight without resorting to an add-on solution like those floating shelves we mentioned earlier!